Local pharmacy’s new owner offering custom drug choices

SOUTH BERWICK, Maine — A longtime “mom and pop” pharmacy has expanded under new ownership, with pharmaceutical compounding — for both humans and animals — now a feature at the newly-renamed business.

Previously known as South Berwick Pharmacy for roughly 36 years, new owner and head pharmacist Matthew Kenney has added pharmaceutical compounding to the pharmacy’s offerings and has renamed the business “South Berwick Pharmacy Seacoast Compounding Inc.”

According to a definition provided by Medical Center Pharmacy, compounding is the science of making customized medication to meet the needs of each individual patient. Whereas most mass-produced medications are made in bulk by large pharmaceutical companies and are well-tolerated by most patients, in some instances these medications may not be well-tolerated or may not be compatible with some patients.

A trained compounding pharmacist makes a customized medication according to the physician’s prescription to suit a patient’s individual needs.

“Compounding is a compelling and age-old approach that allows me to collaborate with the patient’s doctor to customize and truly optimize the drug for the individual’s needs,” said Kenny, a 35-year-old, lifelong resident of South Berwick. “I can create a drug that will avoid the usual side effects or allergens. I can deliver it in a unique way so that it is better tolerated. I can provide medicine that has been discontinued by the manufacturer or is otherwise commercially unavailable. And I can provide ‘out-of-the-box’ medicinal solutions for pets, making it much easier to deliver treatment to them.”

Kenney stresses the importance of the three-way relationship between patient, doctor, and pharmacist for successful compounding. This team approach, he says, is best realized when a compounding pharmacist who is local and convenient to the patient can provide the customized medicine that the doctor has ordered.

“I am very proud to be the new owner of the neighborhood pharmacy that I’ve known since my childhood,” Kenney said. “Providing the best old-fashioned customer service and modern conveniences is the way that I commit to keeping our community healthy.”

South Berwick Pharmacy Seacoast Compounding, located at 298 Main Street, is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to filling traditional manufactured prescriptions, the pharmacy’s store sells over-the-counter drugs, specialty wellness products, and novelty items, including gifts and greeting cards.